Flashpoint Drabbles
by LiveLaughLoveFP
Summary: A series of  mostly short drabbles written about our favourite Team One! Many of these are too short to stand alone so I've combined them for your reading pleasure. Enjoy and don't forget to review!
1. Just Bad Luck

**Pairing:** Wordy/Shelley  
**Category:** Romance, Angst, Family, Hurt/Comfort  
**Rating:** K+  
**Summary:** At the end of the day, when Wordy comes home from the job after another near miss, what does Shelley think?

**AN:** I still do not own Flashpoint. I only play with the characters. Expect this series of drabbles to run on for a while. Please review!

* * *

Wordy groaned quietly as he peeled off his shirt at the end of the day. Half turning to grab his pajama top, he caught a glimpse of his shoulder in the bathroom mirror. Walking closer, he gently prodded the massive bruise, wincing as it throbbed. Wordy shook his head thinking _'Shelley's gonna kill me.'_

From behind him came a soft gasp. Looking up, he caught the reflection of his wife in the mirror and hung his head at the expression of horror in her eyes. He heard her soft footfalls coming towards him and braced himself for the explosion. But Shelley merely wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his chest. They clung to each other for what seemed like hours before Shelley whispered, "It was in the vest?"

Wordy nodded and tilted her face up to his. "It was just bad luck. He really didn't want to shoot anyone. The gun was just for the scare. He pulled the trigger a few times but when we realized the safety was on, Greg told me to go for it with the taser. Just as I came up behind him, he found the safety and his finger hit the trigger. It was just an accident but it scared me. It was this close…" he held his fingers a few centimetres apart, "to missing the shoulder strap of my vest and hitting me."

He stopped talking when he felt Shelley hug him tighter and saw a few tears escape and roll down her face. He wiped them away with the pad of his thumb and pressed his face into her hair.

"You know I love you and the girls. I am letting nothing stop me from coming home to you. Especially not a bullet from some guy who really didn't mean to shoot me."

Shelley reached up to kiss him and he held her tightly, ignoring the ache from his bruise. He pulled away gently after a few minutes and slipped on his shirt to hide the bruise before his daughters could see it. He didn't want them to know how close he came to death today. A few more centimetres to the right and what was only a bruise could have been a whole lot worse.


	2. Gifted rather than Special

**Pairing:** None  
**Category: **Friendship**  
****Rating:** T (for one bad word)  
**Summary:** Spike's life hasn't been easy and he finds some parallels between his life and the life of the boy in 'Unconditional Love'

**AN:** I own nothing!

* * *

"I prefer gifted as well." Spike flinched even as he said the words. Sarge and the mother turned to look at him but he continued to stare at the screen.

'_Wonderful,' _he grumbled to himself _'Now I'm going to have to have a talk with Sarge when we get back to HQ. That won't be awkward at all. At least Greg cares about me, not like all those god-damned councillors.'_

Finally, they turned back to the conversation and Spike was able to breathe a sigh of relief.

~o~

"Bye guys! I'll see you tomorrow!" Spike waved to his teammates, hoping they wouldn't notice that he hadn't changed out of his uniform yet. Unlikely, considering they were SRU police officers but he had to try anyway. Wordy paused, half-in half-out of the door.

"What's wrong, Mike? And don't you dare tell me 'nothing'. You haven't said a word since we got back and you haven't changed yet."

Spike grimaced, "And I was hoping you guys wouldn't notice. I gotta talk to Sarge before I go but I didn't wanna do it with all you guys still here. It'll be awkward enough already without random members popping in unannounced."

Wordy's piercing gaze softened, "The boy got to you, didn't he? Remind you of anyone in particular?" Spike nodded but didn't elaborate. Wordy patted him on the back as he stood up, "You know the Sarge is only doing this because he cares about you. If you ever wanna talk, I'm here for you. Call me whenever."

"Thanks buddy. I'll remember that."

Wordy gave a little half wave as he left and Spike finally began to change out of his uniform.

~o~

"Hey, Mike. Have a seat. Do you have anything you want to tell me about? That boy remind you of someone?"

Spike smirked, "Yeah, me. You know I was pushed ahead a couple of grades in school, right?"

Greg nodded.

"Well, when I was a kid, everything school related came easily. Can you believe that I was actually caught trying to hack into the teacher's computer in grade 6 to make the test questions harder? But the thing is, I couldn't really get people. Not that I was unhappy or anything but I didn't have a lot of friends when I was younger because no-one could keep up with my brain. And you know what I was like when I was first recruited. Anyway, so the moving ahead helped out with the school stuff, but it didn't help with making friends. Kids don't really like it when a younger one shows them up in everything. For a couple of years, I was always the 'special' one. To be honest, it kinda made me feel like I was different in a bad way. The way you don't want to be. So I started telling people I was gifted because it made me feel like there was a good reason my classmates didn't really like me. You know, I never really had any close friends until I came to work here."

Greg nodded, beginning to understand, "That's why you spoke up in the van, isn't it?"

"Well, that, and because I know that if you're gifted, at least you're different in a good way."

Greg frowned at the slightly bitter tone in Spike's voice. "You're more than just a gifted techie to us. You know that right?"

Spike laughed, his mischievous grin lighting up his face. "Oh, I know. I'm your geek who in times of need can pull off a spectacular take down if I do say so myself."

Greg smiled and chuckled, "In the words of Ed, you're a geek with combat skills."

"Thanks for listening to me, Greg. It's been a long time since I had to think about being gifted over being special. The guy I am today is completely different from the kid I used to be."

"And we're glad of it. You're an asset to this team Mike. Now get out of here before I con you into doing paperwork."

Spike jumped up and backed away hurriedly, "Aye-aye Boss. See you tomorrow, eh?"

Greg waved him off, pretending to brandish paper files in his direction. Spike retreated down the hallway reliving memories of childhood and how similar they were to the boy's they saved today.


	3. First Meeting

**Pairing: **None**  
Category:** Friendship**  
Rating: **K+**  
Summary:** Spike remembers the first time he met Team One and how he's grown since then

**AN:** I own nothing. There are lots more drabbles that I will be putting up.

* * *

Spike remembers the first time he met the Team. In some ways, they absolutely terrified him. When he was introduced, they showed one face to him and he could tell that he was not welcome. He was replacing someone, a team member who'd moved on to another placement.

He saw the disappointment in their faces as he barely passed test after test. He could hardly lift the required weight, weighed in as one of the lowest, scraped past on shooting and failed miserably at negotiating. But after a few tests, he could see hope in their expressions. He had the most endurance out of any of them, he could fix anything and everything and he was a genius with anything technology. He was able to defuse any test bomb thrown at him within minutes and even suggested improvements to the test situation.

Over the course of his next few years, he was able to get the old bomb-defusing robot up and working with a few upgrades (and christened it Babycakes after learning the team's previous name for it – hunk of junk) and completely reinvented the command truck.

~o~

The team welcomed him with open arms until the first day. As Spike became more comfortable with the team, they could not get him to shut up. _And_ he talked about the weirdest things. One-by-one the team complained to Sarge until he was forced to make a difficult decision. He would give Spike a week and if the team still couldn't deal with him, he'd have to let him go.

But something amazing happened. Lewis became friends with Spike. Later they became brothers in all but blood. But the friendship had an unexpected, but desirable, affect. Lew could listen to Spike's wild stories and ideas, giving Spike an outlet. As the spew of words slowed down, the team began to gradually accept him. Once he'd been working with them for a few months, the team considered him a goofy little brother and definitely the best tech they had ever had.

Now, as Spike looked at the new, trouble rookie, he reached out, remembering how someone had reached out to him.


	4. Very Mean Cat

**Pairings:** None**  
Category:** Humour, Friendship**  
Rating:** K+**  
Summary:** "We all have our different fears - flying *looks at Ed* cats." "That was one time, it was a mean cat."

**AN:** I just had to write this one. It didn't turn out as funny as I meant it to be but I think it's still pretty good. Flashpoint does not belong to me. Please review!

* * *

Ed pushed open the door slowly, very cautious of what lay inside. After that…experience last week, he took a little more time before barging in through doors. From behind him, Wordy chuckled and nudged his shoulder, "C'mon buddy, you're a fully grown man. Tell me you're not still terrified of that little cat."

Ed shuddered, "You were there; it was a very mean cat! And it tried to scratch all the skin off the top of my head."

~o~

One week ago, Team One had gotten a call to an old lady's house complaining of a break in and the sound of a gunshot. The team had arrived only to find the burglar unconscious and bleeding from multiple scratches in the front hall. The 'gunshot' turned out to be the sound of his fall knocking over a glass table.

None of the team wanted to go find out what mauled the man so badly. In fact, Lewis and Spike hid in the truck under pretences of research and Jules ducked out to go question the first responder. Sarge gazed at the three remaining team members in amusement before selecting Ed as alpha with Wordy as backup.

They slowly entered the house, clearing rooms as they went. Each time they opened a door, they expected to see a huge dog or maybe a lion, as Spike joked in their ear. Finally, they approached a room hidden near the rear of the house. The instant Ed pushed open the door, a miniscule grey tabby cat launched itself from the top of a dresser directly onto Ed's head. Between the cat shrieking like a banshee and Ed howling in pain, Wordy could barely hear the Boss shouting questions in his ear. Wordy pinned Ed against the door and began working the cat's claws off one by one, receiving some scratches of his own. Finally, all claws were removed from Ed's scalp and Wordy tossed the cat back into the room before slamming the door shut.

Ed stumbled from the house, muttering, "Cat, cat, cat," while Wordy retrieved the guns and allowed himself a moment to catch his breath. Minutes later, he arrived at the door in time to see Ed fall into the arms of a paramedic.

That night in debrief, he finally allowed himself a laugh at Ed's mishap and told his team the full story of what happened in the house.


	5. His Boy

**Pairing:** None**  
Category:** Family, Angst**  
Rating:** K+**  
Spoiler:** Jumping at Shadows**  
Summary:** When Greg's son Dean shows up at HQ, what is going through Greg's mind?

**AN:** This is the last of the ones I've pretyped. Therefore, it might be a while until the next one. Hope you enjoy it! I don't own Flashpoint.

* * *

Shock  
Worry  
Disbelief  
Finally, love.

Greg could not believe his eyes. His boy, his beautiful boy had come to see him completely on his own. He stuttered a greeting and was overjoyed to see Dean as thunderstruck as him. He spontaneously pulled Dean into a hug and, feeling him in his arms, felt whole for the first time in 10 years. His words to Ed about not know what it was like to hold his own son came back to him and he committed the feeling to memory. His heart started to sink as he caught the tone in his son's voice when he asked if they could have a room to talk.

His worst fear is coming true. His boy did not want to see him again, never wanted to be his again. It was all he could do not to cry. Just then the call came through and everything started to speed up.

He had to go but Dean, please, please, please, stay here. Joy when he agreed but still tinged with despair. Despair that came rushing back when Ed asked for the news. The job at least could keep it at bay but it came rushing back without the slightest warning.

He almost lost it trying to convince the operator to help them. Even as he began the negotiation, he knew that he wouldn't be able to stay objective. But it worked; in more ways than one. Winnie told him later that that negotiation was what convinced Dean that his dad had changed.

The day was hard but they saved the girl. Arriving back at HQ and having Dean waiting for him was the icing on the cake and made every day of pain worthwhile. Greg put his arm around Dean as they left together, hoping that he could finally say everything he's wanted to say for the last 10 years.


	6. Creepy

**Pairing:** None**  
Category:** Humour, Friendship**  
Rating:** K+**  
Summary:** Who knew Sam was afraid of clowns? Certainly not Spike...

**AN:** This actually turned out as funny as I intended it. Go me! I really like this and I hope you guys do too and don't find it too hard to follow! Not owning Flashpoint! As always, please review!

* * *

"I didn't know you were afraid of clowns Sam."

"Well, you guys can't know everything. I've only been here for a year."

"But what's not to like? They're funny, they're colourful, and they have great tricks..."

"And they are in-your-face creepy."

"No they're not! When was the last time you saw one anyway?"

"Besides today?"

"Obviously."

"Umm...when I was 10 I think."

"That's my point! It's fine when you're a kid to be afraid of clowns but when you're a big bad SRU officer? That's just lame."

"How can they not creep you out? There are so many horror movies based off of them."

"Those are hilarious. Seriously, how can you have been scared by those? Hey, Wordy!"

"Yeah?"

"You scared of clowns?"

"Nope, never have been."

"How about you, Jules?"

"Of course not. Why? Are you?"

"No, but Sam here is."

"No, I'm not! They just creep me out, that's all. You guys are idiots – it's not funny! That's it, just walk away."

"What would you do if one got in your face?"

"Shoot it."

"With what gun?"

"Does it matter?"

"Not really, but I'm curious. See, if you use one of the big guns, like one of the assault rifles, it shows you really wanna kill it. If you just use a hand gun..."

"You put way too much thought into this."

"Just pick one."

"I don't know! Whatever's closest."

"Guys! C'mon! Team meeting!"

"We gotta go, Spike."

"Hey, Sam? If I wore a clown costume to next week's Halloween party..."

"You would be dead. And I would be in jail."

"Thanks for the warning."


	7. Tough

**Pairing:** Jules/Sam**  
Category: **Romance, Friendship**  
Rating:** T (For one short-of bad word)  
**Summary:** Jules is the very definition of tough but only Sam knows her girly side.

**AN: **Short, I know. Hope you like it anyway! I don't own it.

* * *

Jules Callaghan was the very definition of tough.

She had to be; growing up with only boys in the house left no room for girly-ness. Trying to survive in a very male-dominated job didn't help either. Jules could take down any guy, could tell any gun by touch blindfolded, and could shower to be out the door in less than 5 minutes. But that didn't mean that she didn't like to be a girl occasionally. Granted, she didn't have a lot of time to be girly but she wore skirts and pretty tops for the short drive to the headquarters.

Actually, that's one of the reasons she was attracted to Sam so much. Every man she had gone out with before had either treated her as all girl or all cop. With Sam, she got a nice mixture. He treated her as no more than a fellow cop at work and more like a girl after their shift had ended. He alone on the team knew that her favourite colour was pink, he alone knew that she loved to shop, and he was definitely the only one who knew that she loved to dress up and let loose a little.

So when she opened her birthday gift from Sam – in the safety of her own home – she couldn't help but smile. He had bought her a hot pink work-out suit. The perfect combination between both sides of herself. He knew exactly what she liked and she was glad that she could combine her girly-self with the bad-ass sniper.


	8. Miss You

**Pairing:** None**  
Category:** Angst, Friendship**  
Rating:** K+**  
Spoiler:** One Wrong Move**  
Summary:** Team One's last tribute to Lewis Young brings up lots of hard memories and tears.

**AN:** I don't really like this one too much but here it is anyway. Please let me know what you think. I do not own Flashpoint.

* * *

"Lewis was one of the best men I have ever had the pleasure of having on my team. He was one of the brightest sparks on the force. He was a man of many talents and he will be missed."

Greg stepped down from the stage and tried to control himself. Damn, he hated doing this. It was so unfair that the men dedicated to keeping the peace had to die and in such a bad way.

'_Land mines, whoever would've thought that there would have been land mines.'_ Greg's gaze drifted around to each of his team members. The poor guys seemed to be barely holding up. Jules was in tears already – she and Lew had come through training together. They were always the closest of friends.

Ed stepped on stage and the team focused their attention on their Team Leader. Ed looked out over the heads of his audience,

"I'm sorry Lew, that I never gave you the chance to be more than 'less-lethal Lew'. We both knew you could do better but you were so good with what you did. We'll miss you Lew." Ed bowed his head and the team blinked in shock. That was probably the most emotion Ed had ever shown in front of them – other than anger obviously.

One-by-one, each of the team members took their turn on stage, reminiscing about previous times and what they loved most about Lewis. Finally, only Spike was left. As he climbed the stairs, he seemed not to notice the tears streaming down his face, but the rest of the teams looked away. When he reached the stand, he opened his mouth to give his specially prepared speech but what came out was completely different,

"Lew, my friend, my brother, we will miss you more than I can possibly say. You were the guy that anyone here could turn to when they needed a friend and I know you liked it that way. You were the first one to reach out to me when I was the weird new techie on the team and I could never thank you enough for that. Because of you, this team became my family. We will never forget you, Lewis Young."


	9. A Different View

**Pairing:** None**  
Category: **General**  
Rating:** T  
**Summary:** The other teams in the SRU have a very different view on the members of Team One.

**AN:** Hope you like this one. I really do. No-one ever thinks about how the other teams see Team One. This is just my perspective. I totally own Flashpoint...**NOT!**

* * *

Team One was well known to the other teams in the building as 'the team of misfits.' On any other team, each member would be outcast and looked down on. But on Team One, they clicked. On another team, each member wouldn't be unique but on their team, they were.

There was their Sergeant, the oldest man, the most troubled but the best negotiator. With any other team, he would be merely followed but Team One respected him.

Their Team Leader was generally viewed as a cold-hearted bastard but only to Team One did he let his warmer, playful side show.

They had The Girl, someone no-one was quite able to put a label on. It didn't help that she was one of the best snipers on the force.

Their man for Close Quarters Combat was viewed as an anomaly by many of the officers. He donated so much time and energy to the job but he still had a wonderful home life. But no-one ever asked him how he did it.

Their computer tech was actually considered pretty normal but they figured there had to be one. He could get along with any team but only on Team One did his colours really show.

Their bomb tech was a different story. To most of them, he was just weird. They never stuck around long enough to see his humour, his friendliness or the way he instinctively knew how to care for a person emotionally.

And their new member – the ex-Special Forces soldier. Nobody wanted him around. Nobody trusted him. But under his team, he flourished and became one of the best tactical leaders on the force.

The other teams always thought Team One was weird but they couldn't deny that they got the job done.


	10. Babycakes

**Pairing:** Spike/Babycakes **  
Category:** Humour, Friendship**  
Rating:** K+**  
Summary:** Spike loved that robot more than half the girls he'd gone out with. This is how they met.

**AN:** This was inspired by Haunting the Barn and One Wrong Move. I love Babycakes; they should show it more often. Owning nothing.

* * *

"Let's go Babycakes. Show me what you can do."

Spike couldn't stop the affection in his voice; he loved that robot more than half the girls he'd gone out with. Maybe it was because everyone had given up on it until he came along.

~o~

The first time he saw Babycakes was on his tour of HQ after he was accepted into the SRU. Parker had shown him the gear room and explained where and what everything was with the exception of what looked like scrap metal sitting in a corner.

"What is that?" he'd asked, walking over to it.

"It's a robot prototype designed for safe examination of a bomb before anyone tried to defuse it. It never worked very well and our last tech tried to fix it. As you can see, he didn't succeed." Parker explained.

Spike knelt down and gently pulled the dusty pieces out into the light, ignoring the screech of metal. He examined it closely and Parker could practically see the gears moving in his head.

"This would be easy to fix! All your previous guy really did was pull it apart. If I had the right parts and tools, I could probably make some improvements as well."

"How so?" questioned Parker, watching Spike's face closely as he explained. The 'hunk-of-junk', as the men called it, had cost several thousand dollars and he didn't want it more broken than it already was.

"Tell you what. You make it work and then we'll talk improvements."

Spike nodded and hurried purposefully from the room. He returned minutes later with his hands full of tools. He was about to sit down right where he was until Greg stopped him, "Not here buddy. Take it to one of the training rooms."

~o~

3 days later and Spike casually brought up that he had fixed the robot. Naturally, the team had to see for themselves. The robot had a bit of a reputation of being useless and unfixable. 5 minutes later saw them grouped in one of the training rooms, staring at the robot - definitely looking more robot-like than they'd ever seen it. Spike picked up a remote and the bot whirred to life. He tossed a small package to Wordy, "Could you put that somewhere? I had one of the other guys rig it to look like a bomb." Wordy placed the box on the other side of the room and moved with the rest of the group to look over Spike's shoulder at the remote's screen.

As he sent the bot rolling gently forward, Spike began talking, "So Babycakes was relatively easy to fix..."

"Babycakes?" interrupted Ed, smirking.

"Easier than calling it 'the robot' all the time," Spike blushed. "Anyway, once I had repaired it back to its original state, I asked some of the other techies and they pointed me to the old, outdated technology room. I got some of that stuff but it probably won't work too well on some of the newer stuff in bombs but anything older will be fine. Babycakes now has a simple sensor that can tell us what's in the package so we know what we're working with. I've also put in an electronic blocker but that'll need upgrading if it will keep up with technology. I've given it a couple of different ways of handling the 'bomb' including a hook to move it and a water cannon to neutralize it. Here we go."

The robot had long since reached the 'bomb' and the sensor showed a mess of wires, a timer and batteries on the tiny screen attached to the remote. Spike explained each to the team and the significance,

"See, if a bomb only has these components, it's probably safe for one of us to approach or move it, especially if we know when it's set to go off. If it was to be set off by some sort of electronic trigger, like a pager, Babycakes can block it and that will stop it from blowing until we can defuse it."

Spike blushed again as the men applauded him. Parker clapped him on the shoulder, "You've earned your keep. I think I can swing it so you can have all the latest toys for the robot. I have a feeling that this thing will majorly cut down on bomb-related injuries in the SRU."

~o~

Spike smiled fondly at the robot as he powered it up and began to maneuver it out of the truck. "Spike!" squawked a voice over his headset, "Will you get Babycakes over here? One of the dogs found a bomb!" He smirked; the team had protested his nickname for the robot at first but now they didn't even notice using it themselves.


	11. Protected

**Pairing:** Sam/Jules**  
Category:** General  
**Rating:** K+**  
Spoiler: **Planets Aligned**  
Summary:** As much as Jules hated to admit it and frequently denied it, she really felt protected around her team.

**AN:** I know, I know it's short. Oh, well. Still not owning. As always, please review.

* * *

As much as she hated to admit it, she really felt protected around her team. Of course, the feeling was helped by the fact that they all stood a head taller than her. But as she stood behind Sam, looking around his back at the scared girl pointing a gun, she was glad they made her feel so safe. She knew that they would do everything in their power to protect her. But at the same time, it annoyed her. As Sam tried to hold her back yet again, she couldn't help but snap at him. She could tell that he was hurt but he made no mention of it. Breathing deeply, she put it out of her mind and concentrated on the negotiation. But late that night, as she lay awake in bed, she was glad that she felt so protected around her team.


	12. SRU Dispatcher

**Pairing:** None**  
Category:** General**  
Rating:** K+**  
Summary:** The SRU dispatcher is ready for more action.

**AN:** I hope you like it! This is the last one for a while. I'm starting to run out of ideas. Expect more though! Just not as soon. I do not own Flashpoint. As always, please review!

* * *

To most of the public, they are nameless, faceless figures, charged with keeping the peace. No one knows them; no one likes them until they save a life. No one stops to think that those men and women have a life outside of their job. They just believe that they are there to solve their problems.

But there are a few who understand. They do what they can to make their jobs a little bit easier. I am one of those people. They call me one of them but I know there is a difference. I am not out in the field with them, risking myself alongside them. I haven't bonded like they have over some of the things they've seen.

But I am ready. I want to be more a part of that world. They tell me they need me where I am. I disagree; tons of other people can do what I do but only a select few can do their job. I see them every day, I watch them train, and I know their ways. They disagree; I only see the parts that they do in public – I haven't seen everything that they do in the simulators. I don't care what they think.

I am an SRU dispatcher and I know I'm ready. When they need me, I'll be there.


	13. Package Bomb

**Pairing:** None**  
Category:** Action, Drama, Family**  
Rating:** K+**  
Summary:** A package bomber has been targeting Toronto families. What happens when he delivers to the Scarlatti House?

**AN:** Just a little thing about Spike and how his job could affect his family. I still own nothing but please review.

* * *

A package arriving in the early morning hours was not unusual for the Scarlatti household. Having a son in the SRU had both its ups and downs. Of course, when that son was the best bomb and electronic tech on the team, sometimes the rest of the family had to deal with morning doorbells.

Mrs. Scarlatti grumbled as she dragged herself out of bed at the incessant ringing, "Michelangelo probably hasn't even heard it. Must be urgent or he would've warned us." Pulling her bathrobe around herself, she unlatched the front door, peeking through. A young man stood on the porch, a ball cap pulled low over his face. He held a package under one arm. Seeing her face around the door, the man held out the package, carefully holding it level. Mrs. Scarlatti sighed as she took it, careful to keep it flat. After all, this wasn't the first time. Her son would have a fit if whatever this was had been damaged. The young man nodded to her and she gave a slight mile in return before shutting the door. She made her way down the hall, gently knocking on her son's door, "Michelangelo, you've got a package." When she received no response, she shrugged and called out, "I'll just set it down out here, for when you decide to get up."

"No! Wait!" came Spike's panicked voice through the door. Mrs. Scarlatti froze, holding the package gingerly. The bedroom door flew open, revealing Spike, clad in pajama bottoms with his spare Kevlar vest thrown over his bare chest. The vest scared her more than she cared to admit. It meant that the harmless package in her hands was anything but harmless. His eyes locked on hers, "Don't move," he cautioned, darting into his room. She stood motionless as he swept piles of books off a side table, moving it over to rest below the package. His hands covered hers and together, they lowered the box onto the table. Both held their breath as they let go. The box sat, looking harmless once more. Spike took a deep breath, "Someone's been delivering package bombs door to door the last few weeks. We've been chasing false calls for most of those, trying to catch him. As soon as a bomb is tilted, it explodes. If you can just move back, back to about the kitchen, I need to defuse this. If we're lucky, it'll give us some clues."

Mrs. Scarlatti nodded and shuffled back slowly, wanting to get out of range but unwilling to let her son out of her sight. He barely noticed her hesitation, focussed on the bomb in front of him. Nabbing a pocket knife from the desk in his room, Spike carefully slit the sides of the box, revealing the contents. Spike's confidence rose as he examined the contents but he paused in order to grab his phone. Hitting speed dial, Winnie picked up on the first ring,

"Police Strategic Response Unit."  
"Hey Winnie, its Spike Scarlatti, Team One."  
"How can I help you Spike?"  
"The Package Bomber just delivered to my house. I've got it open and ready to disable but I would like whatever team's at HQ to come down for collection."  
"You got it. Team Five will be there shortly."  
"Thanks. Tell them the front door is unlocked."

Spike took a deep breath before carefully separating wires, batteries and triggers in the package. Dimly, he heard Team Five arriving on the scene, heard them questioning his mom, but all his attention stayed focussed on his work. Finally, he sat back on his heels, signalling to the Team Five tech, "It's good to go. I left it as close to the same as it arrived so you can examine it. See this here?" He pointed, "If the package is tipped, that mixes with this here and you get a big boom." The tech nodded and gingerly took the package, careful to hold it flat, away from his body. Spike chuckled, "Rookie. It's completely safe now."

As Team Five exited the house, he deposited the Kevlar vest in his room, slipped on a shirt and braced himself for the verbal lashing he knew he was about to receive. Instead, his mother just hugged him and retreated up the stairs. Spike heard the bedroom door shut as he stood in the hall. Shaking his head, he headed back to his room to get ready for the day.


	14. Spiked

**Pairing:** None  
**Category:** Action, Friendship  
**Rating:** K+**  
Summary:** Spike's nickname came about in an unusual and demeaning way for the new rookie.

**AN:** I can't believe no-one has written a fic about how Spike got his nickname. I hope everyone likes this. However, this was written before 'No Promises' so it is not canon. Oh well. Don't own it and am getting no money for it. Please review!

* * *

"Okay Team, Richard Carter is suspected to be inside the warehouse, holed up on the second floor. Going by the reports we've been getting, Ed's going in hard tactical. If we get the chance, we'll negotiate but he is not likely to respond." Greg looked around at the team, geared up and ready to roll. His eyes landed on the newest member, Mike Scarlatti, "I'm saying this for the rookie," Mike grimaced, "Watch out for the spikes! He's already staked three officers this week." Mike rolled his eyes but nodded; did they really think he'd let himself get staked?

Ed put his game face on and gestured to the team, "Let's go. I'm on point and we're staying in diamond formation. Watch your backs." With that cheerful final word, Ed led the team into the dark building. They quickly swept through the first floor, shining flashlights into shadowy corners and darkened rooms. With no sign of their suspect, they proceeded up to the second level, alert for any sign of footsteps. As Wordy and Lewis kicked down doors along the abandoned office area, Mike paused, listening intently. Was that footsteps he heard? He gasped as a cold, metal spike stabbed deeply into his lower back, just below his vest. Blackness enveloped him as he heard the shouts of his teammates fade out.

~o~

The next morning, Mike opened his eyes and glanced around in confusion. Why was he in a hospital? He shifted and hissed in pain as his lower back throbbed in protest. Oh, right, that's why. His movement attracted the attention of his teammates waiting in the corridor. An instant later, they were huddled around his bed, voices riding over each other's. Mike raised a hand, quieting them, "I'm fine. Did you get him?"

Ed nodded, "Yeah, although if you hadn't gotten spiked, he might've sneaked down behind us and gotten out." Mike grinned at his team but yawned hugely a second later. Greg chucked, "We'll let you get some rest. Feel better soon...Spike."

Mike groaned, "I'm never getting rid of that, am I?"  
Lewis shook his head, "Never, Spike. Just wait, someday you'll get so used to it, you'll forget to answer to Mike. Face it, you're Spike now." Mike waved them off and relaxed into the bed; at least Spike wasn't too bad of a nickname...

~o~

"Mike? ... Mike? ... Spike!"  
"Yeah?"  
"I told you, Spike, I told you."  
"Shut up Lew."


	15. Gentle One

**Pairing:** None**  
Category:** General**  
Rating:** K+**  
Spolier:** Backwards Day**  
Summary:** Wordy love being the 'gentle cop' on his Team

**AN: **This was inspired by season 1 of Flashpoint. I noticed that Wordy is often the one helping the victims away after the worst was over. I especially noticed this in 'Backwards Day'. Please R&R! I own nothing.

* * *

Wordy loves being the 'gentle cop' in the SRU. While the rest of his team rushed around with the offenders in cuffs, he would carefully walk the victim away from the scene. Something in the helplessness of the victims, they way they clutched his arm in terror, really brought out the best in him. He knows that in some ways, he has a romantic view of being a cop. He loves being the one to save people. He knows that it can be a weakness but he can't help it - he became a police officer to help people. And he has found that being the compassionate man on the team can really help with interviews. He and Ed had actually done a 'good cop/bad cop' routine before. But he also knew when being gentle is not needed. Some people did not deserve to see him at his best. Most of the time, he could control himself by thinking of his daughters but some people could break through even that. Some ghosts in his past were too hard to ignore.


	16. Heaven

**Pairing:** Sam/Jules**  
Category:** Romance**  
Rating:** K+**  
Summary:** Sam and Jules' version of heaven is simple - being together.

**A****N: **I love Sam and Jules. I don't own it!

* * *

Sam lay, wide awake on the bed, cradling Jules in his arms. She lay curled up against his chest, cheek resting on his shoulder. This was Sam's favourite time of the day. Early morning, when he just woke up, before the alarm. This was the only time Jules let her guard down around him. Too bad it never happened when she was awake.

Sam loved to just feel his girlfriend in his arms. Despite what certain guys thought, he was a touchy-feely, caring boyfriend. Just having the woman he loved in his arms qualified as heaven to him. Jules sighed and rolled over in her sleep, turning away from him. Immediately, he scooched closer, wrapping an arm around her waist. Pressing his face into her hair, he relaxed completely and felt his eyes droop.

Jules opened her eyes and smiled. She would never admit it but waking up in Sam's arms was her idea of heaven. She loved snuggling against him in the early morning. Both of them were different at this time, softer, gentler. Something they could never be at any other time. They were in love.


	17. That Kind of Girl

**Pairing:** Sam/Jules  
**Category: **General**  
Rating:** K+**  
Summary:** Jules has always been one of the guys and she is not willing to give that up. Not even for Sam.

**AN: **I hope you guys like this. It is from Jules' perspective, in case you couldn't figure that out. I wish I owned Flashpoint, but alas, I do not.

* * *

I've always been the kind of girl that is just 'one of the guys'. All my life, I've been the minority. And I love it. Being around a group of guys is so much more relaxing than being part of a group of girls. Boys are so much more straight-forward and they tell it like they mean it. There's not as much beating around the bush. If you have something to say, you can just say it. Girls, you have to worry about. Sure, guys take things personally but they don't hold it against you. You can mock them, they just mock you back. They accept you completely. With girls, you have to worry about them holding grudges and bringing it up months later. Of course, it depends on the person. I've found that once guys know you're not afraid of bugs, dirt and slime, that you're not afraid to lose at anything, they simply accept you. I've certainly found that after moving to this team. At first, I was on a team with more than one girl and I hated it. It still didn't seem real enough. They gossiped all the time about the guys and their boyfriends until I just wanted to hurl. The guys were so shallow; they just showed off to us all the time. I don't care how much you can bench-press! As long as you're strong enough to do the job, I don't care. My new group of guys aren't like that. Sure they tried to show off to me at first, bet then they got over it when they saw I didn't even spare them a glance. Well, maybe once or twice; I'm a girl! Of course I like to see a well muscled guy; I just don't let them see me checking them out. They don't care if I win or lose at a training exercise. Unlike all the others, they don't let me win. I really have to try. They don't give me excuses; they expect me to keep up with them. And I like it that way. I am accepted to them the way I am. I don't have to worry about wearing makeup or dressing up around them; they don't care. It's refreshing and I wouldn't give it up for anything. Not even for you Sam.


	18. Parcheesi

**Pairing:** Jules/Sam**  
Category:** Friendship, Humour, Romance**  
Rating:** K+**  
Summary:** Team One is a little bored so they decide to play Parcheesi. It gets a little out of hand...

**AN:** This is for the girls over at Facebook's Flashpoint Team One page, who mentioned a long time ago that they'd like to see Parcheesi featured in a fic. This is for you guys! I hope you like it. I also hope it's not too OOC. Please R&R! I don't own it.

* * *

Greg sighed as he walked into the men's change room, "Guys, this is ridiculous. I know we haven't had a call for over a month but there must be something you can do."

Spread across the room, the various members of Team One shook their heads.

"There's only so much working out we're allowed to do," pointed out Wordy reasonably.

"We've gone through the all the training exercises twice," Ed added, not looking up from his magazine, "Aced them too."

Lew paused his video iPod, "We finished all our paper work days ago. We haven't gotten anything new yet."

Jules nodded, "I second that boss. There's nothing..."

"I've got it!" shouted Spike, leaping to his feet and sprinting out of the change room.

"...left to do," finished Jules, exchanging a glance with Sam. The blonde rookie shrugged and turned to look at Spike as he rushed back into the room, a board game clutched in his hands.

"Parcheesi!" he announced triumphantly, "I forgot that someone left this here ages ago. See, Boss," he turned to Greg, "It will help us with our team building exercises. So we have a valid reason to play." The group turned as one to look expectantly at Greg.

He chuckled. "You guys are such children. Go ahead but count me out. One of us has to be an adult. And no gambling!" he called after them as they hurried to a conference room. As they dragged chairs around a table, Sam brought up the most important question, "So, what do we win? Money?"

"Dad said no gambling," Lew pointed out, "Bragging rights?" The team shook their heads.

"I know..." Ed snuck a glance at Jules, a grin creeping onto his face. A horrified look spread over Jules's face and she buried her face in her hands, "I've seen that look before. I'm not going to like this, am I?"

"Probably not," conceded Ed, "But we will. Whoever wins..." he paused dramatically, "gets a kiss from Jules!" The team roared with laughter at Jules's expression, several of them reaching over to pat Ed on the back and exchange high-fives.

"I'm in!" Lew, Spike and Sam spoke within milliseconds of each other.

"Ed," laughed Wordy, "We're married!"

Eddie shook his head, "Not that kind of kiss Wordy. Just on the cheek, unless Jules wants to do more. That is, if Jules agrees."

Jules sighed as the men turned to her, "I don't have a choice, do I?" They shook their heads, every single one of them doing their best to give her puppy dog eyes. "Alright, I give up. I'm in," She raised her hands in surrender, blushing as the guys cheered.

And so, the game began...

3 hours later, and it was Sam and Spike in the lead. Laughter and taunts flew across the table as the two men battled it out. Wordy and Ed were so far behind that they finally gave up and chose sides, cheering on their 'winner'. Jules had tried valiantly to win, but the luck just wasn't with her. Secretly, she suspected that the men had banded together to force her out early. So instead, she watched and laughed as the final rolls were cast. Silence fell, only to be broken in an uproar as Sam rolled the lucky number. Spike conceded with grace, and for a second, disappeared into the mass of men congratulating Sam. As the commotion died down, Sam turned to Jules with a smirk, "So, where's my kiss?" Smirking back, Jules leaned in, aiming for his lips but at the last second, dodging and pressing her lips to his cheek. Sam's bewildered expression was met with another outburst of laughter and a storm of applause for Jules. She gave a mocking bow and turned to leave, only to find her way blocked by Spike. He grinned at her and she knew what was coming.

"C'mon, I was second." He gave her his best winning smile, "Don't I deserve a kiss?"

Lew slid in front of him, "In that case, I was third. I want one too."

"No, no," Ed interjected, "No-one gets one unless the team leader gets one too."

Wordy decided it was time to add his own protest, "That's not fair. If everyone gets a kiss, I deserve one for being a good sport."

Jules propped her hands on her hips and gave them her second-best evil glare, "This isn't because I'm a girl right?" They shook their heads solemnly. "Not a word of this leaves this room, understood?" They nodded and Jules couldn't help but laugh at their hopeful expressions. "Alright," she conceded. One by one, she gave them each a warm hug before bestowing a brief kiss.

~o~

Later that night, Jules wasn't surprised to hear a knock on her front door. Opening it, she revealed Sam, leaning against her door frame. He smiled at her, "So, where's my real kiss?"

She grinned back, "How do you feel about another game of Parcheesi?"


	19. There Came A Day

**Pairing:** Sam/Jules**  
Category: **Romance**  
Rating:** K+**  
Summary:** There came a day when Sam realized he couldn't live without Jules. This is the story of all the days leading up to that.

AN: It's kind of similar to another one I've written before but I like it. R&R please! Do I own it? I wish. Therefore, it is not mine.

* * *

There came a day when he decided that he was tired of all the lingering looks.

There came a day when he started dreaming of her.

There came a day when he realized he wanted more than just a casual touch.

There came a day when the bed always seemed too cold.

There came a day when he grew tired of meaningless relationships.

There came a day when he grew tired of wishing they were her.

There came a day when he realized he wasn't whole.

There came a day when he found himself stopping by the jewelry store just to look.

There came a day when he wished she came home to him instead of them.

There came a day when the jokes just weren't funny anymore.

There came a day when seeing her at work became too hard.

There came a day when not holding her was torturous.

There came a day when he knew that he wanted her in a way that wasn't disappearing.

There came a day when the need to protect her became overwhelming.

There came a day when he stopped fighting to make it through an entire day without her and struggled to make it through a single hour.

There came a day when he realized he could live with not seeing the team every day.

There came a day when he applied for that opening on Team 3 and got it.


	20. JAM

**Pairing:** Sam/Jules**  
Category:** Humour, Friendship**  
Rating:** K+**  
Summary:** Jules+Sam=JAM - they have no idea. A humourous story of the beginnings of a nickname.

**AN:** I hope you guys like this one. I've had it in the back of my head for a while now but I couldn't seem to write it. I hope it's funny to you guys - I was imagining it to be funnier, but oh well. As always, I don't own anything and please R&R.

* * *

"Morning Wordy!" Lew waved their teammate over to where he and Spike sat in the exercise room. Lowering his voice to a stage whisper, Lew glanced at Spike, "Be careful not to slip. There's a lot of JAM lying around this morning." Catching on quickly, Wordy grinned at his friends, "I'll be careful not to step in any. Thanks for the warning." Continuing on his way to the break room, he carefully peered around corners before venturing into each room. The whole "Sam and Jules relationship" was supposed to be a secret, so naturally, the whole team knew. But they were trying their best to keep it a secret that they knew.

Finally spotting the couple in the back corner of the break room, deep in conversation, he stepped in, loudly announcing, "Morning guys! What did the boss bring in for breakfast today?" He smiled broadly as the two jumped apart and looked away before they could see. Turning back with a cup of coffee in hand, he chuckled to see Jules' pink face and Sam's cocky grin. "Looks like Boss found that new Danish place; any of those JAM filled ones?" Sam shook his head, "Nah, Spike and Lew took all those ones. Said something about enough jam being in here already." Wordy had to quickly stuff a Danish in his mouth to keep from bursting out laughing. Spike was a genius. Ever since he came up that nickname for Sam and Jules, it was so much easier to talk about them behind their backs. And it made for some really funny jokes.

Realizing that both Sam and Jules were looking at him weirdly, Wordy swallowed the rest of the Danish and beat a quick retreat. Returning to the exercise room, he wandered back over to talk with Lew and Spike, "You guys were right – there's tons of JAM around this morning. They still have no idea though."  
Lew smirked, "The Boss finally figured it out. He was the one that warned me today. Almost gave me a heart attack when he whispered to me, 'There's a lot of JAM in the break room'. I was not expecting that."  
Spike chuckled appreciatively, "I'm surprised he didn't have to ask us what it meant. Remember that time when we were all really hungry and giving people nicknames based off their personalities? I can't remember the Boss ever being that confused."  
"He was ticked," Lew laughed, "He could not figure out why we were calling him 'cupcake' for three days."  
Spike sighed, "It was fun while it lasted. I could have done without the few days of 'training'," he made air quotations around the word, "though. That was brutal."

Wordy nudged his teammate as Sam and Jules came around the corner, Jules laughing at something Sam said, "Look out guys. The JAM has arrived."

"Hope they don't make the training equipment all sticky." All three men smothered a laugh as Jules approached them. Climbing on the exercise bike, she asked, "What are you guys laughing about? All I heard was something about jam."

Only Lew was able to keep his cool, "We were just talking about what we prefer on toast in the morning. You know, I like cinnamon, Spike likes peanut butter, Wordy likes cream cheese..."

"Oh," Jules nodded. "I prefer jam myself." Once again, the men had to smother laughter and turn away, leaving Jules confused and ever so-slightly annoyed.


	21. Radar

**Pairing:** None**  
Category: **Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship**  
Rating:** T**  
Summary:** The day Lewis died still haunts Spike but he finds an unexpected comfort in an unexpected source.

**AN:** I just updated this because I noticed an error and because the summary came across as slightly pedo-ish. So now it's fixed! I don't own Flashpoint! Please read and review! And by the way, if anyone is on Facebook who likes Flashpoint, prizes and up-to-date information, I'd check out and join Flashpoint Team One on Facebook. It's run by the producers and is a great place to meet other fans and share your love of Flashpoint!

* * *

"Mike! Buddy! We haven't seen you in forever! C'mon, you've got to come!"

Spike sighed; he _so_ did not want to go out with his friends tonight. Shift had been hard and he was tired. But they were his friends, and they were right – he hadn't been out with them in months.

"Alright, I'll be there. 3:30 you said?"

~o~

Spike plopped himself down in the theatre seat, helping himself to a handful of his friend's popcorn as he waited for the movie to start. The lights dimmed and he relaxed into his seat as the opening credits rolled across the screen. The movie was based in the World War II era, featuring a submarine battle in the waters of the Atlantic. The movie was well made, and Spike had begun to enjoy himself until...

_beepbeepbeep...beepbeepbeep...BEEPbeepbeep..._

In an instant, he was transported from the darkened movie theatre to a sun-baked plaza. Gravel crunched under his feet and the shrill beeping filled his ears. An echo of the blast exploded through his mind as he struggled to bring himself back to the present. A heavy hand descended on his shoulder, wrenching him from his memories. Spike looked up to see the worried and slightly amused face of his friend peering at him from the next seat. It was only then that he noticed the way he'd curled in on himself and the death grip he'd taken on the armrests. Muttering apologies to his friends, he forced his way down the aisle, trying in vain to block the sounds of the explosions ripping their way across the screen. Reaching the lobby, Spike took a deep breath, running a shaking hand over his face. Leaning against a convenient wall, he slid down and buried his face in his arms. Focussing on breathing, he pushed the sights and sounds from that day back out of his mind. The flashback was so strong, so real. They always were. Even though many things still set them off, he could usually force himself to function through them. But not this time. Taking a few more deep breaths, he pushed himself into a standing position, reaching for his keys. He'd call his friends tomorrow and apologize but right now, he just wanted to go home.

"Uncle Spike!" He jumped, turning around in time to catch the small body that collided with his legs. Trying to smile, he looked down into the bright face of Wordy's middle daughter. Lily grinned up at him and wrapped her arms around his leg in a hug. A squeal echoed around the lobby and Spike braced himself against the impact. 6 year old Claire grabbed hold of his other leg, already chattering on in her high-pitched voice. Spotting Wordy and Shelley across the room, Spike managed to shuffle his way over to them, eliciting giggles from the girls as they fought to hang onto him. Peeling Lily off his leg, he lifted her onto his hip as he exchanged pleasantries with the Wordworths. Just as he began considering a polite but immediate exit, a small hand tapped his shoulder and Lily's tiny voice asked him, "Uncle Spike? Why were you out here all alone?"

_'Well, I was watching a movie and the damn radar noise set off my freaking flashbacks again so I ran out of the theatre like a little girl, trying not to cry'. _"I was watching a movie with my friends but it was too scary so I had to leave." Spike sighed silently as Wordy's eyes met his and a frown creased his friend's brow. He shook his head warningly and faked a smile. Wordy didn't buy it, "Again?"

"Yup."

"How bad?"

Spike grimaced, "Bad. Worse than usual."

Wordy's gaze dropped, "Sorry man. That sucks."

Lily looked in confusion between the two men. She couldn't understand what they were talking about but she did understand being scared by a movie. Wrapping her small arms around his neck, she planted a sticky kiss on Spike's cheek. When he looked at her in confusion, she smiled widely at him, "There! Now it's all better!"

Laughing at the dumbstruck look on Spike's face, Shelley leaned forward to take her daughter, lifting her onto her hip. The little girl waved at Spike as her mother carried her and Claire away to go buy the movie tickets, leaving Wordy and Spike to talk in relative peace. Spike sighed and started to relax as his heart rate dropped back to normal for the first time in what felt like hours. Giving Wordy a half smile, he gestured after Shelley, Claire and Lily, "Kids always know. You're a lucky man."

Wordy grinned back, "I know. My girls are my life. I don't know what I'd do without them." The smile slipped from his lips, "Seriously though, are you okay? You were white when we walked in here."

Spike nodded, "I am now. It's just...so hard to deal with the damn flashbacks when you don't know what will set them off. It was the beeping radar noise during the battle this time. It sounded like...like...the ground penetrating radar. I couldn't deal with it."

Grasping Spike's shoulder in silent sympathy, Wordy spoke with conviction, "It will get better. You just have to accept what happened and move on. They will never go away completely but it will get better. Don't forget to talk to someone."

Reaching for his keys once again, Spike took a step backwards, "I will. Oh, and here," he stuffed a few bills into Wordy's hand, "Buy your girls something they like and tell them it's from me. You know better than I do what they would want."

Wordy tucked the bills into a pocket and the men parted ways. Wordy returned to his family, hoisting Claire onto his shoulders. Spike retreated to his car, hoping that he'd be able to control the burning emotions until he got home. He would get better in time; he had to.


	22. Adults? Really?

**Pairing:** None**  
Category:** Humour, Friendship**  
Rating:** K+**  
Summary:** Everybody has their childish moments. Team One included.

**AN:** I know, I know, 2 in one day. But I wanted to post this before I forgot that I wrote it. Just a quick, lighthearted dialogue between Team One before a briefing. I don't know what came over me when I wrote it. I TOTALLY (don't) OWN FLASHPOINT! Haha, I wish I did. Please read and review!

* * *

"Oh yeah..." sputtered Spike, "Well, if you get to be Samtastic, then I get to be Spiketacular!"

The team entering the room stopped and stared at the two men.

"That's just copying me!" retorted Sam.

"No, it's not! It's based off spectacular not fantastic! Completely different word."

"Well, the idea is the same!"

"May I remind you that I gave you that nickname in the first place – the idea belongs to me!"

"You already have a nickname! Why do you need another?"

"Guys!" hollered Ed. "Can at least one of you act like an adult?"

"But he..." Both men spoke instantaneously, pointing across the conference room table at each other. Both stopped when they realized what they'd done.

Wordy chuckled and put on his best 'exasperated dad' voice, "I don't care who started it. I'm ending it!"

Lew and Jules collapsed over in giggles as Sam and Spike turned instantly into shame-faced little boys. Struggling to keep a straight face, Greg intervened, "I'm sure we can find a compromise. How about this? Sam gets to keep his nickname and we'll call awesome stuff Spike does 'Spiketacular'. Is that acceptable to both of you?"

Spike and Sam eyed each other warily before nodding agreement.

"There, better?" grouched Ed, "Now can we get on with the meeting? _Without_ any more childish displays?" He glanced around the room at the sulky looking Spike and Sam and the still giggling Jules and Lew, his stern gaze bringing them back to adulthood.


	23. Last Dance

**Pairing:** Sam/Jules, Sophie/Ed, Shelley/Wordy**  
Category:** Romance, Friendship**  
Rating:** T**  
Summary:** The annual SRU banquet is coming up and Jules doesn't know what to wear. Which *totally* has nothing to do with the fact that Sam will be there.

**AN: **It took me forever to finish this! It was supposed to be a lot shorter but as you can see, it kinda ran away from me. I own nothing that you recognize. Please read and review everyone!

* * *

"I don't know what to wear!" Jules moaned as she stared out across every piece of fancy clothing she owned, strewn over her bed. The annual police SRU banquet was still a week away but Jules knew from long experience that she needed to pick out her clothes early. Anyway, this particular banquet was much harder to choose for. Sam was going to be there and though Jules knew they could never be together, the look in his eyes when she came in wearing something pretty would make her feel beautiful. So the suits were out. She wanted to play up being The Girl instead of hiding it. That also left out the two formal dresses she owned. They were old, and frankly, she didn't like them all that much. Finally giving up, she sat down on the bed in a huff and grabbed the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey Wordy, it's Jules. Is Shelley there?"

"Hi Jules! Hold on a sec, I'll go get her."

"Thanks."

"Hello Jules! It's nice to hear from you. What's up?"

"Hey Shelly. I need your help. The banquet's next week and I have nothing to wear. I'm really bad at shopping for nice clothes but I wanna look nice."

"Of course I'll help you! I actually need a dress as well so we can go together. Why don't we go in two days? If nothing comes up, you guys are scheduled for the afternoon off."

"Sounds great! You know what, why don't we invite Sophie as well and make it a party?"

"That's a great idea! I'm sure she'd love to come."

~o~

"So Jules, does this need to look pretty have anything to do with a certain rookie?" Sophie teased as she, Jules and Shelley strolled through the mall.

"No," Jules muttered unconvincingly, cheeks slowly staining pink. The two older women chuckled and exchanged significant looks behind Jules' back. Catching the look, she raised her voice slightly, "And even if it did, said relationship wouldn't go anywhere. No fraternizing with your teammates."

"Of course, most teams don't have an issue with this. Men don't cause this problem when it's just them on the team," Shelley pointed out sensibly.

"But remember that scandal way back on Team Three? Ed couldn't stop laughing," Sophie recalled, "That caused quite a stir and some guys getting moved around."

Entering a store, the conversation fell off as the trio of women went to work. Pulling dresses off the racks, Shelley pushed Jules into a change room and began to hand her dresses over the door. The first three were promptly handed back and the two women smothered laughs as a fourth dress was met with an exclamation of disgust and shoved over the top of the door. Shelley had barely returned the 4 discarded dresses to the return racks when the door creaked open and Jules stepped out with a radiant smile on her face.

"This is it! I love it."

As she stood in front of the mirror, Shelley and Sophie examined the dress with critical eyes, commenting on the fit and colour. Jules just grinned and smoothed the dark purple, satiny material until it lay right against her legs. It was perfect. Feminine but not too feminine - and showing just enough cleavage to attract a certain male eye. For the first time since she joined the SRU, Jules was looking forward to the banquet.

~o~

3 days later found Jules peering anxiously into the mirror as she fought to get her hair and makeup exactly right. "Why can't I wear it in a braid? It's not like most of them would notice. And why do I need all this makeup! I can't get it to look right!"

She growled in frustration as a knock at the door caused her to drop her hairbrush for the nth time that afternoon. Chucking it across the room, she stalked over to the door, yanking it open only to find Shelley standing on the other side, grinning and clutching a garment bag.

"Hey honey! I thought we'd make a girl's night out of getting ready and besides, Kevin hinted you might need a little help."

Jules grinned in relief, "I'd love some help! Wordy caught me one time in the locker room swearing to myself as I tried to get ready for a date. I can do my makeup a little and the same with my hair but anything more than 'pretty' I need help with."

~o~

Kevin Wordsworth looked impatiently at his watch as he waited for his wife and Jules to answer the door. He didn't like all the prep work for these things; he'd had at least 45 minutes longer than he needed to get ready. His eyes widened as the two women opened the door. He whistled at them before giving Shelley a kiss and Jules a hug.

"You look beautiful," he told them and grinned at Jules, "Who would've thought." He winced theatrically as Jules playfully smacked him on the arm, "I could say the same for you Wordy!"

He pretended to preen and grinned at Shelley, "Did you hear that? I'm beautiful!"

Laughing at her husband's antics, Shelley climbed into their car while Jules climbed into her own. She didn't want to be a burden on anyone and she was NOT planning on going home with a guy.

Outside of the venue, Jules took a calming breath and clenched her hands a few times, trying to control the tremors. Pulling up her courage, Jules followed Shelley and Wordy into the lobby, her eyes automatically darting around the room in search of Sam. He wasn't there. Disappointed, and annoyed at herself for being disappointed, she continued into the hall to greet the rest of her team. A general uproar followed her appearance:

"Lookit you Jules!" – Spike  
"You look great Jules." – Greg  
"I told you guys she looked awesome." – Wordy  
"Who knew you cleaned up so well!" – Ed  
"You're a girl?" – Lew

Laughing, she brushed off the compliments and took her seat at the table. Team One followed suit and conversation flowed freely. Just before the dinner started, Jules excused herself from the table and hurried to the washroom. As she stared into the mirror, her logical, cool side battled with her 'girly side'

_Why isn't he here?  
Maybe he was stuck in traffic.  
But I've seen the way he looks at me. I always assumed he'd be early.  
What if I'm wrong and he's just a flirt?  
I refuse to believe that.  
Relax, Jules. Now go back out there and sit down at your table and ENJOY the night. If he gets here, he gets here._

With that final thought, Jules briefly fixed her hair in the mirror and strode out of the washroom. Heading for the hall doors, Jules failed to notice the lobby doors swing open but she froze when a soft, "Jules..." in a familiar voice reached her ears. She turned slowly to face him. Sam stood frozen in the doorway, a shell-shocked expression across his face. As she watched, the confident, cocky grin replaced the stunned look and he made his way towards her. She couldn't take her eyes off him. _Was it just her, or did he look about 10 times more attractive in that suit?_ Stopping in front of her, he caught her eyes and his grin softened into a genuine smile, "You look so beautiful Jules." Blushing, she unconsciously leaned closer to him, breathing in his unmistakable cologne, before a loud burst of party music reminded her of where they were. Wrenching herself from his stare, she hissed, "We can't do this Sam! Not here and definitely not now!" With that, she turned and fled into the hall.

Safely seated at her table, she tried valiantly to avoid glancing towards the door, waiting for Sam's official arrival. When he finally did slip in, she took the moment to really examine him. His hair looked as if it had received more attention than usual in a failing attempt for it to lay flat and Jules itched to run her fingers through the carefully combed strands. Her eyes traced the shape of his shoulders through his suit and she couldn't help but wonder at his lack of a date. Were the women of Toronto blind?

Catching her eye as he approached their table, Sam gave her a subtle wink and grinned as she turned away with a scowl. Slipping down into his seat, he settled in for a long wait as the awards show began.

An hour and a half later, dinner had been eaten and the dancing had begun. Jules was a popular dance partner, partly due to her new dress but mostly due to the fact that she was one of the only non-attached females in attendance. Spinning past their table in the arms of Team Three sergeant Troy, Jules could see Sam sitting alone, eyes following her every move. As Troy released her at the end of the song, Jules could swear Sam gave him an evil glare. Returning to the table to grab her drink, she was pulled away by Lew for the next dance, followed closely by Spike, Wordy, Greg and Ed. Resigning herself to the fact that she probably wouldn't be allowed to sit down that night, she went along with it in good spirits. She loved her team and was more than happy to dance with them. As she was wheeled across the room, Jules threw subtle glances at Sam only to become more and more puzzled about his behaviour. Finally it hit her as she saw Sam rebuff a conversation with Spike shortly after their dance finished. The mighty Samtastic was jealous! If only he knew how much she wanted these arms around her to be his...Jules shook her head. She couldn't be having these thoughts! They were not allowed as much as the both might have wanted it.

Finally, the DJ announced the last song for the night and Jules as able to take a seat as her friends swept their dates off for their final dance. Preoccupied with watching the dancers, Jules was caught off guard when a husky voice whispered in her ear, "May I have this dance?"

Without turning, Jules whispered back, "You know we can't."

Chuckling, Sam pointed out, "But you danced with the other eligible men on our team and in the force, wouldn't it look suspicious if you didn't dance with me?" He had her there. Taking her hand, Sam led her towards the edge of the dance floor, pulling her into his arms. Jules, fully prepared to keep a 'safe' distance, put up no fight. She _wanted_ this. Resting her head against his shoulder, they swayed in time to the music, Sam's hands resting gently on her hips.

Sam sighed softly and tightened his grip on Jules. This was where he wanted to be. Damn the SRU's rules. Jules' breathed in the scent of Sam's cologne and tried to memorize the feel of his hands burning through the thin material of her dress. She would fight it until the end of time but she no longer had any doubt that this was what she wanted for the rest of her life. Maybe someday.


	24. Father's Day

**Pairing:** Shelley/Wordy**  
Category:** Family**  
Rating:** K+**  
Spoiler:** Fault Lines**  
Summary:** Wordy's daughters want to do something special for him for Father's Day. And they succeed.

**AN:** I know this is a little late but I really wanted to write it. I love Wordy and his family so this was just perfect for a Father's Day fic. I hope you guys like it and it isn't too cheesy. I still do not own Flaspoint or anything related to it. As always, please read and review!

* * *

"Mommy?" Shelley turned away from the stove to smile at her oldest daughter, Claire, as she stood just inside the doorway. "Mom," Claire repeated again, coming to sit on one of the kitchen chairs, "Can you help me with something?"

"Sure sweetie. What do you need help with?"

"I want to make Dad something really special for father's day. But I don't know how."

Sitting across from her, Shelley knew there was a deeper meaning behind this request, "What did you have in mind?"

"Well," Claire fidgeted with the edge of the tablecloth, "At school, we made our dads these pencil holder things but Dad doesn't have a desk to put his on so it's not really special. So I thought maybe we could make something for him here." As she told her mother her idea, Shelley shook her head in disbelief. Children saw so clearly sometimes.

"I'll help you Claire," she promised, "We'll start right after lunch. Now go get your sisters – they can help too."

~o~

Lying awake in bed, Wordy couldn't help but run the last few days over in his head. He couldn't ignore the signs that Toth had brought up anymore. His only worry was how this would affect his family. He'd tried to keep them from noticing but sooner or later, he would have to tell them. Rolling over, Wordy glanced at the clock. 5 to midnight. He sighed – this was definitely not the best start to a father's day he'd ever had. Hearing soft footsteps and giggles in the hall, he perked up his ears but didn't move. What were his girls doing up so late? Keeping still as his bedroom door opened, he was prepared for the gentle touches of 3 pairs of tiny hands.

"Wake up dad," Claire whispered to him. As he sat up, Allie and Lily took his hands, pulling him up out of bed. Smiling down at them, he subtly clenched his arm muscles, willing his hands not to shake. The 3 girls led him down the stairs into the kitchen where Claire began to collect glasses out of the cupboard, milk out of the fridge and a plateful of cookies from the counter top. Spotting a bag sitting in the middle of the table, he began to reach for it, only to have his hand pushed away by 7 year old Lily. "Not yet," she told him. Smiling indulgently, he sat down at the head of the table, watching the 3 girls interact.

Claire began to pour out glasses of milk and handed them to her sisters. Wordy smiled to see her steady their hands, making sure they had the glasses securely before letting go. Claire was the best older sister; always had been. The smile dropped from his face as he reached for his own glass, seeing the barely discernable shake in his fingers. Claire handed him his glass and, almost unconsciously, steadied his hand until the milk no longer sloshed against the edges. Wordy followed Claire back to the table, dumbstruck. How much had she seen? How much did she understand?

Tasting one of the cookies, Wordy grinned, questions pushed back for the moment. These were the family's favourite – some of his best memories of his girls came from sharing an afternoon snack of these cookies and a tall glass of milk. Finishing his cookie, he reached again for the mysterious bag in the centre of the table but wasn't surprised when Claire pulled it out of his reach. Setting it in front of her, she glanced nervously at her sisters before beginning to talk.

"I, well, we," she gestured to her sisters, "wanted to get you something really special for Father's Day this year, Dad. All the dads at school have different jobs but they're all easy. They aren't like yours. We made pencil holders in my class but I know you don't have a desk to put it on..."

Wordy interrupted, "That doesn't matter! You know I would still love it."

"But it's not _special_," Claire emphasized. "We wanted it to be special. So we made this for you instead." She pulled something out of the bag, handing it to Allie. "Mom helped," Lily added, looking over his shoulder. Turning in his seat, Wordy could see Shelley, her robe pulled around her, leaning against the door frame. Coming over, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he leaned forward to take the present from Allie.

Absolutely speechless, he gazed at the photo he held in his hands. Taken only a few months ago during a Team One barbecue, this was his favourite photo of his family. Wordy and Shelley sat together in a deck chair, the 3 girls gathered around them, the afternoon sun lighting up their faces. Wordy felt tears gather in his eyes as he felt the sturdy cardboard backing, the laminated front. Turning it over, he read the messages of love from his family, printed neatly by Shelley and signed in childish handwriting by each of the girls. Grown nervous by his silence, Claire started to babble,

"Dad, we know you've been really worried. And we know that you've gotten hurt at work. But you don't have a lot of photos of us at work so we wanted to give you this."

"Because family always makes it better!" piped up Allie with her 4 year old assurances. "Just like a kiss makes a hurt better!"

He blinked away his tears and smiled at the best people in his life, "Thank you so much guys. I love it. It's the perfect size for it to it in my shirt pocket so I will always have it. C'mere." He gestured to them to come closer and wrapped all 3 in his arms as they slipped off their chairs and ran to him. "I love you so much. Always remember that."

Sensing his need for a moment alone, Shelley spoke up, "I'm proud of you girls. Now, give your dad a kiss and go on back up to bed. We'll be there in a minute to tuck you back in."

Obeying their mother, Claire, Lily and Allie returned to their beds and Wordy stood up, pulling Shelley into his arms. Hugging him tightly, she whispered, "Happy Father's Day."


	25. Note Passing

**Pairing:** None**  
Category:** Friendship, Humour**  
Rating:** K+**  
Spoiler:** One Wrong Move**  
Summary:** Spike and Lewis are bored during a yearly re-certification class.

**AN: **I don't own Flashpoint! I just play with the characters.  
_Italics: _Spike **Bold:** Lewis _Italics/Underline:_ Greg

* * *

_Hey Lew! _

Lewis Young of Team One glanced at his friend out of the corner of his eye and firmly shook his head.

_Please! Why not?_

Pushing the paper back towards Spike, Lew shook his head again and gestured towards the instructor at the front of the room.

_He won't notice! He hasn't looked back here once in the past hour._

Sighing, Lew gave in:

**Are we really going to pass notes Spike? This isn't grade school**

_But I'm bored! And we know this stuff already._

**I hate these things too but he might have some new stuff this year...**

_No he won't!_

**...So we need to pay attention**

Spike grinned; did his friend really think that reasoning was going to work on him? Stealing the paper back, he scribbled down his next question.

_Remind me why Sarge made us do this again?_

Lew rolled his eyes. Now Spike was just trying to be a pain.

**I'm a computer tech and you're a bomb tech and a computer tech. We're here because it's the law.**

_You are so lucky that you only need to be here for one day. Maybe I should rethink my life_

Lewis held back a laugh, hearing quiet chuckles on his other side.

**Sure, like you'll follow that resolution for long**

_Yeah, you're right. Besides, where are we gonna find a bomb tech as awesome as me?_

**You certainly are unique Spike**

_I resent that! I am your teammate and therefore you should be nice to me._

**I should, but I won't **

The pair sat in silence for the next few minutes until Lew felt the paper tap his arm once again:

_Ugh. He's off on a tangent. I bet it was that guy from Team 2 again. Remember last year?_

**I think that guy quit. But that is a Team 2 member. Have we met him yet?**

_I don't think so. We'll have to do that later. I wish the rest of the team was here._

**Me too buddy. ****Only a few more hours**

Spike nodded fervently and turned his attention to the front as the instructor resumed his presentation.

_He forgot the fifth rule..._

**There are only 4 rules for diffusing bombs Spike.**

_The fifth rule is break the rules when you have to!_

"Guys, what are you doing?"

Spike looked up guiltily, knowing it was pointless to even try to hide the paper, "Um...nothing Boss." Under Greg's unwavering stare, he sighed and admitted, "We were passing notes."

Pulling out the chair next to them, Greg sighed, "I know you guys know this stuff, but please try to pay attention. What if the instructor notices and refuses to re-certify you? We'd be down 2 team members for weeks."

Hanging their heads guiltily, Spike and Lewis muttered apologies as Greg regarded them with amusement. Nodding to them to face the front, he silently stole the piece of paper, scrawling down a single sentence:

_I agree, this is so boring!_

Sliding the paper over, the three broke into quiet chuckles, a much needed relief from the boredom.


	26. Guilt

**Pairing: **None  
**Category:** Angst, the Hurt side of Hurt/comfort  
**Rating:** K+  
**Summary:** Wordy's thoughts in Fault Lines after he leaves Spike behind on the obstacle course.

**AN:** Hey everyone! I know it's short but I've wanted to write this for a long time. It's not my best but I hope you enjoy it anyway. Just a heads up, I'm back in school so I don't know how often I'll be able to post. I will be continuing this, just not as often. Flashpoint does not belong to me, blah blah blah, read and review, blah blah blah, you guys know the drill.

* * *

Wordy had never felt such disgust, especially towards himself. And the guilt. It threatened to overwhelm him. Spike was one of his best friends and he had coldly decided to leave him behind on the obstacle course. With Spike's pained cry of "Wordy!" echoing in his ears, he'd jumped down the other side of the wall. He could hear the scrabbling of Spike's boots against the wall as he tried to regain his footing. A second later, the enormity of his decision hit him, threatening to bring him to his knees. What was he thinking? A few hours ago, he would have never considered leaving his friend behind. The interview with Toth had left him so shaken that he'd retreated into self-preservation.

The sight of his friend's face filled Wordy's mind, pulled from the last glance he'd taken before dropping out of sight. A shout of frustration reached his ears and he hurled himself back up the wall, stretching his arm down to his struggling friend. The sight of the blood smeared across Spike's hand brought Wordy's heart to a stuttering stop. His friend was injured and he had still decided to leave him behind. Thoroughly ashamed, he completed the course, still finishing several seconds ahead of Spike.

Panting at the end of the obstacle course, he turned to his friend, not sure what to say. The argument that sprung up was more vicious than either of them could have predicted. When it was over, Wordy stared after his retreating teammate, confused, defiant and angry. This day had turned out so much worse than anyone could have predicted, but Wordy knew that one of the memories that would stick with him the longest would be the hurt expression on Spike's face when he was left behind.


	27. Left Turn

**Pairing:** None  
**Category:** Friendship, Comedy  
**Rating:** K+  
**Summary:** "Wouldn't be the first time you took a left when I told you to take a right." Spike to Lew in One Wrong Move

**AN:** Sorry for the long wait everyone! If you've stuck with me after all this time, you deserve all the virtual cookies. I tried to have this one come off a little funny (not sure I succeeded) but I've always wanted to write this. Just in case it's not clear, it's patrol day for Team One. Also, I don't know Toronto streets so I just googled Dundas and picked a street that was to one side and made up a number. Sorry if I got it way wrong. I still don't own them.

* * *

"_Spike and Lew! Can you guys go check over at 1453 Brock Avenue? Some guy named Turner says he's got a gang outside his house."_

"We'll check it out Boss!"

...

"Hey, uh, Lew...where are we buddy?"

"On our way to Turner's house...You know, where Boss told us to go."

"I'm pretty sure that's on the other side of the city."

"No, you told me to take a left at Dundas. That's what I did."

"Lew, I told you to take a right. I have the map open here and it clearly tells us to take a right at Dundas."

"Then why'd you tell me to take a left?"

"I didn't. Oh I know! You were too busy looking at those pretty girls to pay attention weren't you?"

"Get your head out of the clouds Spike. It was clearly you looking at them and giving me the wrong directions."

"Yeah yeah. Take a RIGHT up here so we can turn around."

"_Don't bother guys. While you two clowns took a left, I sent Eddie and Wordy over to check it out. Get back to your patrol zone."_

"Look what you did Lew...you gave them prime blackmail material. I'm pinning this on you tonight."

"Who're they gonna believe? Me or you?"

"Me obviously. Everyone knows I'm their favourite."

"Whatever man. We will just have to wait and see 'cause obviously it's gonna be me."

"You know what? Drinks are on whoever they don't believe!"

"You're on! Get ready to pay up."


End file.
